Learn Singing your way with a TakeLessons expert

By Kelsey P. - Grand Rapids Singing Teacher

My name is Kelsey, and I teach guitar and singing lessons in Grand Rapids, MI. As a voice coach, I am always encouraging my students to get out there and find places where they can start performing. This is understandably a terrifying idea to most beginners. They say, “I’m not ready yet!” or “What if I mess it up?” And the truth is, you may mess it up. But that’s not a good reason not to start trying.

Let me ask you something. Is it possible to learn how to sing without singing? Would it make sense to sign up for guitar lessons and not intend to ever pick up your guitar until you feel “ready”? The answer to both of these questions, I hope, is obvious. No.

So it is with performing. It is impossible to learn how to perform without getting yourself up on stage. And, like anything else, chances are, the first couple of times you do it, you will make mistakes. This is how we learn. You won’t be a perfect singer or guitar player before your debut performance. But guess what? That’s not required.

Grand Rapids, MI is my home town and the place where I am proud to teach my 35 or so voice and guitar students every week. Many musicians choose to relocate to more well-known, artsy places to launch their performance careers like L.A, Nashville, or Boston. But Grand Rapids has plenty of opportunities to get your feet wet and then some as an aspiring performer.

Open Mics Grand Rapids has a plethora of open mic nights. Some of them are great experiences, and some of them make you want to crawl into a hole and never get on stage again. When you check out an open mic, make sure you check out lots of reviews before you go and always bring a support group of friends and family who want to see you succeed! My top picks are Tuesday nights at Founders Brewing (great food and a good crowd), and Friday nights at Lantern Coffee Bar & Lounge (a more intimate setting and really good coffee). I have personally played both of these open mics and can say with confidence that you will have a good experience. There are so many others to check out, so do some Googling and read some reviews, and plan out your performance practice!

Gigs Once you and/or your band have played many open mics, talent shows, coffee houses, and the like, and you feel a bit more confident in your set, you can venture out to some more professional gigs and start getting the word out there! Some of my local favorites are One Trick Pony, Founders, and college campus coffee houses like Aquinas College, Calvin College, and Cornerstone University. I like these venues because they are a bit more family oriented; that’s just my preference. They treat the artist well, and will pay you a fair amount for your talent and time. If you’re involved in a church, this may also be a great place to set up a gig.

Listen and Learn No matter what level you’re at in your singing lessons in Grand Rapids, you should always be attending concerts of other artists and learning whatever you can. One of the best ways to check out local music is to check out Local Spins Live at Speak EZ Lounge on Wednesday nights, and you can check out Local Spins Live blog for reviews on local artists to find out when your favorites are playing!

The most important thing to remember is that you won’t become a performer until you start performing! Find some venues that welcome beginners like local open mics. Then, branch out to more professional venues once you’ve got your groove. And always find shows to attend so you can listen and learn how to get better!

Have fun!